The Washington Prohibition of Butter Substitutes Act, also known as Referendum 16, was on the November 4, 1924 ballot in Washington as a veto referendum, where it was defeated, thus overturning the legislation. The measure would have prohibited the manufacturing and selling of butter substitutes that contain any vegetable fat or other non-pure milk ingredients.[1]

Election results

Text of measure

An Act to prohibit the manufacture, sale or excahnge of any substitute for butter containing milk which contains any vegetable fat or any cendensed or evaporated milk containing any vegetable fat; also prohibiting the manufacture, sale or exchange of any butter substitute containing milk unless the milk therein be pure milk from which no butter fat has been removed, or any condensed or evaporated milk, or substitute therefore containing milk, unless the milk used therein be pure and unadulterated; and providing penalties.[2]

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Path to the ballot

Referendum 16 was filed on March 18, 1915. Signatures were submitted to qualify it for the ballot. The measure was placed on the ballot as provided for by the state constitution.[3]